BY LINUS CHIBUIKE
ANY new Nigerian President or Governor who fails to constitute his cabinet within 30 days of inauguration may be impeached by the National Assembly or state House of Assembly, if the Transition and Assumption of Office Bill, 2020, being proposed by the House of Representatives scales through.
The bill, sponsored by Kpam Sokpo (Buruku Federal Constituency of Benue State), and introduced at the House on Wednesday, is also proposing establishing a special fund for the presidential transition committee.
The bill reads in part, “Subject to Sections 147 and 302 of the Constitution, the President shall on assumption of office, appoint ministers within 30 days from the date he took the oath of office.
“The president shall constitute and appoint all boards of government agencies and parastatals that are due for constitution and appointment within two months from the date of his assumption of office.”
According to the bill, where the President fails to comply with the provisions of this section without any justifiable reason, he shall be guilty of a misconduct “as provided under Section 143(2) (b) of the Constitution.”
Section 8(1) of the bill also said there would be the Transition and Assumption Fund for the administration of the committee “into which shall be paid such sums as shall be appropriated by the National Assembly for the purpose of transition and assumption of office in a Presidential election year.”
“The President shall apply the funds appropriated by the National Assembly to the cost of establishing and maintaining the office of the coordinator appointed under this bill. Payment of allowances and other benefits of the members of the committee,” it added.
